Richardson to head Commerce

President-elect Obama is set to announce New Mexico Gov. Bill
Richardson (D) as his secretary of Commerce at a Wednesday press conference in
Chicago, according to Democratic officials.

{mosads}Richardson had been mentioned as a possibility for a number of
different Cabinet posts, including at the departments of Interior and State.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), who like Richardson ran against Obama for
the Democratic nomination, was announced Monday as Obama’s choice to lead the
State Department.

Richardson famously endorsed Obama during the latter stages of the
heated battle between the president-elect and Clinton, leading Clinton loyalist
James Carville to refer to the New Mexico governor as “Judas.”

Richardson served as secretary of Energy and ambassador to the
United Nations under former President Bill Clinton.

Leading Hispanic groups were vocal in their desire to see
Richardson at the State Department.